The Car Hub

Those members of Moscow’s “blue bucket brigade” may look utterly ridiculous, but they’re nevertheless mad as hell. And they aren’t going to take it anymore. (“It” being special treatment for certain motorists.)
Indeed, numerous Moscow motorists and cyclists are now adorning their heads or their car rooftops with bright blue buckets. To paraphrase Animal Farm author George Orwell, apparently in Moscow, “All motorists are created equally... but some are more equal than others.”
Indeed, the protesters say the buckets adorning their heads and their cars are meant to represent the blue flashing lights which are often displayed by members of Russia’s powerful elite as they whiz through Moscow streets, apparently immune to traffic fines ranging from speeding to dangerous driving.
Well-connected businesspeople have allegedly been bribing officials in order to acquire the flashing blue lights – illumination that used to be exclusively used by emergency services personnel.
Indeed, according to a report in the Telegraph, one of the most annoying things about living in Moscow these days is the traffic. It’s not just the awful gridlock and bottlenecks, but the arrogance of those drivers in high-end BMWs, Audis and Mercedes – some of whom have acquired those “get-out-of-my-damn-way!” flashing blue lights.
Apparently, such motorists blithely drive out into oncoming traffic and force their way in front of those who legitimately have the right of way.
The catalyst for the blue bucket protest was an incident in May in which a Mercedes S600 – complete with flashing blue light – ran a red light and slammed into a BMW sedan. No one was hurt, but it turned out the Mercedes belonged to a high-ranking official.
During a recent protest, the blue bucket brigade meandered down Kutovsky Prospect, the main thoroughfare which leads to the Kremlin, protesting that certain “special motorists” with the blue lights continue to ignore the rules of the road without fear of reprisal.
Organizers say the protests will continue unabated until nobody but emergency services personnel are permitted to use the blue lights.
If anything, the blue bucket protests show how things have radically changed in the former Soviet Union. Twenty years ago, the average Russian was too busy simply surviving to worry all that much about the driving habits of the wealthy.
But as the Russian middle class grows, clearly their feelings toward those who consider themselves above the law are changing.
Viva the new Russia revolution!
By David Menzies